Malcolm

Menteith

Siward

Menteith

Malcolm

Fellow noblemen, I hope the time is coming soon when we’ll be safe in our homes again.

Menteith

We have no doubts.

Siward

Which forest is this one?

Menteith

The forest of Birnam.

Malcolm

Order every soldier to cut down a branch and hold it in front of him while he marches. That way, it will be hard to tell how many of us there are. Macbeth’s reconnaissance won’t be able to get an accurate count.

Soldiers

It will be done.

The wood of Birnam.

Malcolm

Performance

Malcolm, Lines 4-7a

Let every soldier hew him down a bough

And bear't before him. Thereby shall we shadow

The numbers of our host and make discovery

Err in report of us.

Soldiers

It shall be done.

Siward

We learn no other but the confident tyrant

Keeps still in Dunsinane, and will endure

Our setting down before 't.

Malcolm

'Tis his main hope,

For where there is advantage to be given,

Siward

We’ve learned that the tyrant is keeping his forces inside Dunsinane because he's confident that he can withstand a siege.

Malcolm

That’s his only hope. Soldiers of all ranks who could have given him the advantage are abandoning him. The only ones still following are those constrained to do so, and their hearts aren’t in it.

Macduff

We will not know until the actual battle is fought, so let’s focus on fighting as well as we can.

Both more and less have given him the revolt,

And none serve with him but constrained things

Performance

Malcolm, Lines 10b-14a

Whose hearts are absent too.

Macduff

Let our just censures

Attend the true event, and put we on

Industrious soldiership.

Siward

The time approaches

That will, with due decision, make us know

Siward

Time is approaching when the outcome will let us know what we’ve won, or lost. Speculation just reflects our unsure hopes. Only sword strokes will determine the verdict. Bring on the war.